I had to renew my Minnesota driver's license last week. The clerk took a quick digital photograph, confirmed some info, checked my vision with a high tech machine, took my check (not so high tech), and said I'd have my license in a week or so.
This ordinary experience triggered the memory of my first driver's license application in the very, very pre- 911 world of 1962. I was already a senior in high school as you had to be 17 years old in New Jersey before you could even get the license ball rolling. After passing the written test with flying colors at the local armory, I failed the eye exam. All the squinting in the world had not helped so I had to get glasses - actually very cool glasses with gold-flecked bamboo frames. I also had to endure a little good sport humiliation in the school newspaper which published an article about my experience called "Blind as a Bat."
Then with perfect 20/20 corrected vision I took the road test. It was a snowy day and I refused to go over 20 MPH on the slippery road and knocked down a snow fence while making a required "K" turn. Needless to say, I failed but reigned victorious after a retake a week later on dry roads.
Armed with the "she finally passed" required document I visited the motor vehicle office down on Speedwell Avenue in Morristown and applied for the Jersey license, a non-photo ID. Now here's the crazy part that you could never get away with in today's world. I reported that I was 5'8" tall and weighed 135 pounds BUT that I wanted to lose a few pounds and was on a diet so would you please put me down for 125 pounds. Sure, no problem. My hair was brown BUT I said I was bleaching it and by spring it would be quite blonde so could you please put me down for Hair color: blonde. Of course. And eyes. Having one green eye and one brown, I chose the one I wished I had two of. "Green" ended up on the license.
So in a couple of weeks I had a driver's license with no picture and a personal description that looked nothing like me! But I did eventually "grow into" my license as I had promised.
To emphasize the state of pre-911 security even more, I used a NJ license for over 14 years while living in Minnesota. My father would renew it for me every three years and send me the new one which, of course, had a NJ address. And, oh yes, on top of it all it was in my maiden name! And nobody ever said boo about it. On my own I finally bit the bullet and took another dreaded written test to finally get a Minnesota picture ID license.
Oh yes. And one more thing. Did I mention that for four years I was living in a foreign country? It all can be quite a pain now but we are definitely better off in this post 911 world! And picture IDs are the least we can do for the cause.
This ordinary experience triggered the memory of my first driver's license application in the very, very pre- 911 world of 1962. I was already a senior in high school as you had to be 17 years old in New Jersey before you could even get the license ball rolling. After passing the written test with flying colors at the local armory, I failed the eye exam. All the squinting in the world had not helped so I had to get glasses - actually very cool glasses with gold-flecked bamboo frames. I also had to endure a little good sport humiliation in the school newspaper which published an article about my experience called "Blind as a Bat."
Then with perfect 20/20 corrected vision I took the road test. It was a snowy day and I refused to go over 20 MPH on the slippery road and knocked down a snow fence while making a required "K" turn. Needless to say, I failed but reigned victorious after a retake a week later on dry roads.
Armed with the "she finally passed" required document I visited the motor vehicle office down on Speedwell Avenue in Morristown and applied for the Jersey license, a non-photo ID. Now here's the crazy part that you could never get away with in today's world. I reported that I was 5'8" tall and weighed 135 pounds BUT that I wanted to lose a few pounds and was on a diet so would you please put me down for 125 pounds. Sure, no problem. My hair was brown BUT I said I was bleaching it and by spring it would be quite blonde so could you please put me down for Hair color: blonde. Of course. And eyes. Having one green eye and one brown, I chose the one I wished I had two of. "Green" ended up on the license.
So in a couple of weeks I had a driver's license with no picture and a personal description that looked nothing like me! But I did eventually "grow into" my license as I had promised.
To emphasize the state of pre-911 security even more, I used a NJ license for over 14 years while living in Minnesota. My father would renew it for me every three years and send me the new one which, of course, had a NJ address. And, oh yes, on top of it all it was in my maiden name! And nobody ever said boo about it. On my own I finally bit the bullet and took another dreaded written test to finally get a Minnesota picture ID license.
Oh yes. And one more thing. Did I mention that for four years I was living in a foreign country? It all can be quite a pain now but we are definitely better off in this post 911 world! And picture IDs are the least we can do for the cause.
